Process of separating iron from ore



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY I-I. EAMES, or BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE EAMES PURIFYING AND SEPARATING COMPANY, or WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF SEPARATING IRON FROM ORE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,877, dated October 25, 1892. Application filed April 6, 1889. $erial No. 306,224. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: this corrugated band the ores or gangues are Be it known that I, HENRY H. EAMES, redropped. The current passing through the siding in Baltimore County, in the State of conducting-strips crossingthe samecauses the Maryland, have invented a new and useful particles of iron on the band to attach them- Method or Process of Extracting or Separatselves to the conducting-strips. At the same ing Iron from Gangues, Ores, or Sponges in time a stream of water is directed upon the which Said Iron Exists, of which the followband, which, being inclined, flows in the diing is a full description. rection opposite to that in which the band is A suitable apparatus for this purpose is traveling, washing backwardly the gold or 10 shown and described in my application for copper or other metal composing the gangue Letters Patenttherefor filed on the 14th day of or sponge which do not adhere to the metal May, 1888, and having the Serial No. 273,767. strips-which continue to flow backwardly until In simple gangues or ores, as well as in comwashed off of the lower end of the band into plex varieties of the same, it is well known that a receptacle placed there to catch them. The

15 different metals exist, some of which are held iron particles continue to adhere to the strips in combination with other constituent eleand travel with them to the other end of the apments of the ores or gangues. When these paratus, when the circuit passing through the metals exist in a state which will render them strips is broken and the iron particles fall off separable by mechanical means, my process upon the ground or into a receptacle at that 20 will apply. Ihave alsoinvented certain niethend and are caught and retained therein. ods and apparatuses by which these simple To further describe or explain my process, and complex ores are freed from impurities, I take the gangues, ores, or sponges and grind producing a sponge wherein are contained the or pulverize them, then pass a current of elec* metals in a pure or approximately-pure state. tricity through a copper wire or other con- 2 5 These sponges contain different metals in ductor and bring this conductorin proximity varying quantities, chiefly iron,but also gold, to or in contact with the divided material, copper, silver, and other metals; and my inwhen the iron particles will attach themselves vention consists in the method of separating to the conductor. If the wire be then rethese metalsby picking out the iron upon conmoved, the particles of iron will still adhere o ductors having a current of electricity passto it and immediately drop 01f when the cur- 8o ing through them and detaching these iron rent is broken. The same thing may be acparticles adhering to the conductors by breakcomplished by placing the ground gangues in ing the current and allowing them to fall off water into which a conductor is introduced,

- upon the ground or into a receptacle for the passing an electric current through the con- 3 5 purpose, so that they may be taken and apductor, and stirring up the divided material.

plied to any uses to which they are applicable. The particles of iron will adhere to the con- My application, Serial No. 273,767, describes ductor, which may then be removed from the and claims an apparatus for this purpose, and water, and when the current through the conconsists, in short, of an endless belt or band ductor is shutoff the iron will drop therefrom.

40 to which motion is imparted. This band has It is easy to see how this principle can be along its surface a series of conducting-strips, multiplied and modified in various ways in and by means of a series of rollers above and machinery by causing conductors to be rebelow the band it is made to assume an unvolved in or passed through the divided madulating,corrugated,orserpentine form. This terial either dry or in water and when the 5 band is placed in an inclined position, so that iron particles are caught on the conductor and 5 the ores dropped thereon travel naturally carried out to break the current and allow upon an inclined corrugated plane. Means them to drop into a receptacle. are also therein described and shown for im- What I claim is parting to the strips upon the band or pass- 1. The method or process of extracting iron 50 ing therethrough an electric current. Upon from gangues, ores, or sponges containing it too by grinding or otherwise dividingthe mate+ 1 tact with or proximity to a conductor through rial andi bringingthe same in contact-wither; whiclltacurrentofivelectricityisgassing, gathproximity to a conductor through which a ering the iron particles upon the conductor, current of electricity is passing, whereby the and then detaching them by shutting off the 5 iaon particles therein are caused to adhere to current through the conductor.

t e conductor.

2. The methodiomproeesswoflextreetingom HENRY EAMES" separatingironfrom gangueseores;cmsponges Witnessesz: containing it by grinding or otherwise divid- ROBTrAi EBAY; IO ing the material, bringing the same in con- MAGGIE TURNER. 

